Front cone of underwater motive device

ABSTRACT

An underwater motive device includes a rear main housing including two side handle bars, a forward joining member having a decreased diameter, a shoulder between the forward joining member and a remaining portion of the rear main housing, a battery compartment defined in both the forward joining member and the remaining portion of the rear main housing wherein the forward joining member includes an annular front end, an annular front surface between the annular front end and the shoulder, two opposite first rails on a joining portion of the annular front end and the annular front surface, and a first space on the annular front surface and abutting each first rail; and a front cone including a rear opening, an internal, annular surface on a rear portion, and two opposite sets of a second rail and a second space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

The technical field relates to underwater motive devices, and more particularly relates to a front cone of an underwater motive device having improved characteristics for joining a rear main housing

2. Description of Related Art

Underwater motive devices have been known for the last several decades. Most of those earlier devices were metal. As a result, the underwater motive devices were large and bulky. The early underwater motive devices were also expensive and heavy. Thus, the only effective market was professional divers because of both the cost and strength required to handle the unit under water.

There is a commercially available underwater motive device having a plastic rear main housing. The underwater motive device can eliminate typical drawbacks including large and bulky main housing, expensive, and limited to professional divers. Further, it can be mass produced for cost reduction and is light weight and portable. The rear main housing of the conventional underwater motive device includes a battery storage space which is O-ring sealable with a front wall.

The front cone includes two swinging latches being pivotal about an insertion point in the front cone and engaged with a locking structure on the rear main housing to securely hold the front cone in place.

However, the latches do not provide a waterproof sealing between the front cone and the battery chamber. Further, the latches may be unfastened inadvertently to flow water to the battery chamber in an underwater condition. As a result, the battery, the controller and other devices are damaged.

Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure is directed to a front cone of an underwater motive device for eliminating drawbacks including those associated with the conventional art.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an underwater motive device comprising a rear main housing being substantially cylindrical and including two opposite handle bars on two sides respectively, a forward joining member being open and having a decreased diameter, a shoulder between the forward joining member and a remaining portion of the rear main housing, a battery compartment defined in both the forward joining member and the remaining portion of the rear main housing wherein the forward joining member includes an annular front end, an annular front surface between the annular front end and the shoulder, two opposite first rails on a joining portion of the annular front end and the annular front surface, and a first space on the annular front surface and abutting each of the first rails; and a front cone including a rear opening, an internal, annular surface on a rear portion, and two opposite sets of a second rail and a second space disposed forwardly of the second rail; wherein in an assembly the second rails contact the forward joining member by disposing on the annular front surface, and each of the second rails further moves to the first space which is rearward of each of the first rails so that the second rails are anchored by the first rails and a rear end of the front cone is releasably secured to the shoulder of the rear main housing.

In one of the exemplary embodiments, there are further comprised of a first limit member extending rearward out of an end of each of the first rails, and a second limit member extending forward out of an end of each of the second rails, a movement distance of the second rail is limited by the first limit member, and a movement distance of the first rail is limited by the second limit member respectively.

In one of the exemplary embodiments, the front cone further comprises an aperture on the rear end, and the rear main housing further comprises a detent on a front end of an outer surface, the detent including a trigger configured to either insert into the aperture to secure the front cone further and the rear main housing together or disengage from the aperture to separate the rear main housing from the front cone.

In one of the exemplary embodiments, there are further comprised of a seat on an inner surface of a front portion of the rear main housing, a limit hole adjacent to the seat, and two opposite tabs in the limit hole; the detent further comprises two flexible latches extending from the trigger, a protrusion extending outward from each of the latches, and a hook at each of the latches and being capable of movably disposing in the limit hole to secure to the tab and further lock the detent; and the trigger is configured to press to unlock the detent.

In one of the exemplary embodiments, in a locked position, the protrusions are disposed forwardly of the tabs; and in an unlocked position, the protrusions are disposed rearward of the tabs.

The invention has the following advantages and benefits in comparison with the conventional art: an improved waterproof arrangement is implemented by securing the forward joining member of the rear main housing to the front cone in a simple, convenient and quick assembly. The detent aims to lock the front cone of the assembled underwater motive device, thereby preventing the front cone from being inadvertently disengaged from the rear main housing.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an underwater motive device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the front cone and the rear main housing showing the detent securely joining the aperture in a locked position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the detent disengaged from the aperture in an unlocked position; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 schematically depict steps of assembling the front cone and the rear main housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, an underwater motive device 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a front cone 60 and a rear main housing 10 as discussed in detail below.

In the embodiment, the rear main housing 10 is cylindrical and includes two opposite handle bars 19 on two sides respectively, a forward joining member 42 being open and having a decreased diameter, a shoulder 50 between the joining member 42 and a remaining portion of the rear main housing 10, a battery compartment 41 defined in both the forward joining member 42 and the remaining portion of the rear main housing 10, a plurality of fan main housing supports 15 extending rearward, and a fan main housing 16 supported by the fan main housing supports 15.

In the embodiment, the forward joining member 42 includes an annular front end 421, an annular front surface 424 between the annular front end 421 and the shoulder 50, an O-ring 426 put on the annular front surface 424 and abutting the shoulder 50, two opposite first rails 422 on a joining portion of the annular front end 421 and the annular front surface 424, a first limit member 427 extending rearward out of an end of each of the first rails 422, and a first space 423 on the annular front surface and between the O-ring 426 and each of the first rails 422.

In the embodiment, on an inner surface of a front portion of the rear main housing 10 there are provided a seat 561, a limit hole 567 adjacent to the seat 561, and two opposite tabs 563 in the limit hole 567. A detent 56 is disposed on a front end of an outer surface of the rear main housing 10 and includes a trigger 562, two flexible latches 564 extending from the trigger 562, a protrusion 565 extending outward from each of the latches 564, and a hook 566 at each of the latches 564 being capable of movably disposing in the limit hole 567 to secure to the tab 563. Thus, the trigger 562 is locked in a normal position. The trigger 562 can be pressed to unlock the detent 56. In detail, in the locked position (see FIG. 3), the protrusions 565 are disposed forwardly of the tabs 563 and the trigger 562 projects out of the shoulder 50. In the unlocked position (see FIG. 4), the protrusions 565 are disposed rearward of the tabs 563 and the trigger 562 is flush with the shoulder 50. In short, a pressing of the trigger 562 can unlock the detent 56.

In the embodiment, the front cone 60 is tapered forwardly and includes a rear opening 69, two opposite fins 61 on two sides respectively for stabilization purpose, an aperture 62 on a rear end, a support member 63 on an inner surface of a front end, a ring 64 secured to the support member 63, an internal, annular surface 68 on a rear portion, and two opposite sets of a second rail 65, a second limit member 66 extending forward out of an end of the second rail 65, and a second space 67 forwardly of the second rail 65. The sets of the second rail 65, the second limit member 66 and the second space 67 are formed on the internal, annular surface 68. An inner diameter of a rear open end of the front cone 60 is greater than an outer diameter of the forward joining member 42.

Assembly of the front cone 60 and the forward joining member 42 is discussed in detail below. The second rail 65 contacts the forward joining member 42 by disposing on the annular front surface 424. The first rail 422 passes the internal, annular surface 68 until the front cone 60 is adjacent to the shoulder 50. Next, the front cone 60 is rotated to move the second rail 65 on the first space 423 until the second rail 65 is anchored by the first rail 422, the first limit member 427 and the O-ring 426.

In the above description, a movement distance of the second rail 65 is limited by the first limit member 427 and a movement distance of the first rail 422 is limited by the second limit member 66 respectively. Thus, both the first rail 422 and the second rail 65 are held in place. As a result, the front cone 60 and the forward joining member 42 are fastened and a waterproof arrangement is implemented in cooperation with the O-ring 426. Otherwise, water may enter both the front cone 60 and the rear main housing 10. Further, a battery 46 is mounted in the battery compartment 41 in cooperation with the support member 63 and the ring 64. Finally, the trigger 562 is inserted into the aperture 62 to lock the detent 56, thereby finishing assembly of the underwater motive device 100. As shown in FIG. 4, a pushing of the trigger 562 out of the aperture 62 disposes the detent 56 in the unlocked position, the second rail 65 next moves away from the annular front surface 424, and the second rail 65 and the first rail 422 are separated. As a result, the front cone 60 and the rear main housing 10 are separated.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An underwater motive device, comprising: a rear main housing being substantially cylindrical and including two opposite handle bars on two sides respectively, a forward joining member being open and having a decreased diameter, a shoulder between the forward joining member and a remaining portion of the rear main housing, a battery compartment defined in both the forward joining member and the remaining portion of the rear main housing wherein the forward joining member includes an annular front end, an annular front surface between the annular front end and the shoulder, two opposite first rails on a joining portion of the annular front end and the annular front surface, and a first space on the annular front surface and abutting each of the first rails; and a front cone including a rear opening, an internal, annular surface on a rear portion, and two opposite sets of a second rail and a second space disposed forwardly of the second rail; wherein in an assembly the second rails contact the forward joining member by disposing on the annular front surface, and each of the second rails further moves to the first space which is rearward of each of the first rails so that the second rails are anchored by the first rails and a rear end of the front cone is releasably secured to the shoulder of the rear main housing.
 2. The underwater motive device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first limit member extending rearward out of an end of each of the first rails, and a second limit member extending forward out of an end of each of the second rails wherein a movement distance of the second rail is limited by the first limit member and a movement distance of the first rail is limited by the second limit member respectively.
 3. The underwater motive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front cone further comprises an aperture on the rear end, and wherein the rear main housing further comprises a detent on a front end of an outer surface, the detent including a trigger configured to either insert into the aperture to secure the front cone further and the rear main housing together or disengage from the aperture to separate the rear main housing from the front cone.
 4. The underwater motive device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a seat on an inner surface of a front portion of the rear main housing, a limit hole adjacent to the seat, and two opposite tabs in the limit hole; wherein the detent further comprises two flexible latches extending from the trigger, a protrusion extending outward from each of the latches, and a hook at each of the latches and being configured to movably dispose in the limit hole to secure to the tab and further lock the detent; and wherein the trigger is configured to press to unlock the detent.
 5. The underwater motive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a locked position, the protrusions are disposed forwardly of the tabs; and wherein in an unlocked position, the protrusions are disposed rearward of the tabs. 